Educational Opportunity Guide

Academic Competitions

Academic competitions are a great way for talented students to deepen their knowledge about their favorite subjects and challenge themselves to research and create. Competitions bring students together who share interests and abilities, and the atmosphere buzzes with learning and friendship. Organized by discipline, check out this growing list:

Multidisciplinary (^top)

Name	Grade
Academic Bowl	4-10
Arts Olympiad	Ages 8 to 12
BubbleWrap Competition for Young Inventors	5-8
Davidson Fellows Award	PreK-12
Destination Imagination, Inc	K-12
Future Problem Solving Program	4-12
Harvard Fall Tournament	9-12
High Five Challenge	9-12
International Student Media Festival	K-College
Kentucky Association for Academic Competition (KAAC)	6-12
Knowledge Master Open	5-12
Marshall University S.C.O.R.E.S.	9-12
National Academic League	5-12
National Chess Championships	K-12
National Gallery for America's Young Inventors	K-12
National Oratorical Contest	9-12
Odyssey of the Mind	K-12, PG
Orcale ThinkQuest	Ages 22 and under
Rubberband Contest for Young Inventors	5-8
Student Ideas for a Better America	K-12
The Denker Tournament of High School Champions	9-12
United States Academic Decathlon	9-12
Vermont State / NEA Scholars' Bowl	9-12

Humanities (^top)

Name	Grade
AHSTF: American High School Theatre Festival	9-12
Alliance for Young Artists and Writers	7-12
American History Essay Contest	5-8
Arts Recognition and Talent Search (ARTS)	12
Christopher Colombus Essay (D.A.R.)	5-8
Elizabeth Bishop Writing Competition	8-11
High School Communications Competition	9-12
International Graphic Arts Education Awards, Inc.	6-12 and University Students
John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest	9-12
Joseph S. Rumbaugh Historical Oration Contest	10-12
Kids Philosophy Slam	K-12
Letters About Literature	4-12
Music Teachers National Association Contests	Ages 11-26
National Federation of Music Clubs	Ages: Child to 34
National Geographic Bee	4-8
National History Day	6-12
National Peace Essay Contest	9-12
National Word Power Challenge	4-8
Promising Young Writers Program	8
River of Words: International Poetry and Art Competition	K-12
Scholastic Art and Writing Awards	7-12
Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee	1-8
Swackhamer Video Contest	All ages
The Concord Review's Emerson Prize	10-12
US Senate Youth Program	10-12
Words That Shook the World Public Speaking Competition	9-12
Young Playwrights Festival National Playwriting Competition	Ages 18 and younger

Mathematics (^top)

Name	Grade
American Mathematics Competitions	6-12
Continental Mathematics League & Others	2-9
Imagine Cup	10-12
Mandelbrot Competition	9-12
Math League Contests	4-12
MATHCOUNTS	7-8
National Stock Market Simulation	6-12
Siemens Westinghouse Competitions	9-12
USA Mathematical Talent Search	6-12

Sciences (^top)

Name	Grade
2007 Power Puzzle Challenge	Ages 9-16
Astounding Inventions Contest 2010	K-8
Canon Envirothon	9-12
Christopher Columbus Awards	6-8
Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge	5-8
eCybermission	6-9
Exploravision Awards	K-12
FIRST Robotics Competition and FIRST Tech Challenge	Ages 6-18
Future City Competition	7-8
Intel Science Talent Search	12
International Bridge Building Contest	9-12
InvenTeams High School Invention Grants	10-12
Junior First Lego League	Ages 6-9
National Science Bowl	9-12
National Science Bowl for Middle School Students	6-8
President's Environmental Youth Awards	K-12
Rube Goldberg Machine Contest	1-6
Sally Ride Festival	5-8
Team America Rocketry Challenge	7-12
The Great Moonbuggy Race	10-12, PG
USA Biology Olympiad	10-12
West Point Bridge Design Contest	7-12
Young Epidemiology Scholars Competition	11-12